Monday, December 4, 2017

First U.S. Baby Delivered From Uterus Transplant Born in Texas

Doctors at Baylor University Medical Center announced Friday that a woman with a uterus transplant delivered a baby late last month, making the delivery the first of its kind in the United States. While uterus transplants have occurred in recent years, the delivery marks a breakthrough in medical research in the U.S.

A clinical trial at BUMC in Dallas began last year when a team of doctors completed uterine transplant surgeries on four women. Similar clinical trials have worked in Sweden, but Texas' go at the medical procedure was the first successful try outside of Europe.

The women taking part in the trial either have nonfunctioning or nonexistent uteruses, which had them believing they would never be able to get pregnant. In this case, the woman was born without a uterus. Although some transplants have failed, one of those four women gave birth via a scheduled C-section.

“I’ve delivered a lot of babies, but this one was special,” Dr. Robert T. Gunby Jr., the obstetrician and gynecologist who delivered the baby, told Time. “When I started my career we didn’t even have sonograms. Now we are putting in uteruses from someone else and getting a baby.”

The parents have chosen to remain anonymous, but the uterus donor, Taylor Siler, said she was inspired to donate her organ after learning about the transplant program. Already a mother and knowing she & her husband would not have more children, she thought it was unfair that some women struggle to get pregnant and wanted to provide the option.

Doctors also told Time that another woman from the trial is pregnant. She also received a uterus from a living donor.